Amusement apparatus



April 7, 1931.- L L, CQ TER 1,799,409

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed April 4, 1929 Z Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LEV/77' L. CUSTER A TTORNEY April 7, 1931-. c s R AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UHTE STATES LEVITT LUZERN ousrnn, or nnyron, o ro AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Application filed. April 4,

My invention relates to an amusement apparatus.

It is an object of my invention to provide an amusement apparatus in which the passenger will be moved in a circular or other path in a chair, but the exact position of the chair will be controlled by the position of the amusement apparatus, the effect of gravity and centrifugal force on the chair and the relative position of the chair with respect to the rest of the apparatus.

It is an object to provide in such an apparatus a chair the position of which can apparently be controlled by an operator of the chair, but which in reality will be impossible as the movement of the chair will be so erratic that the ordinary user will have no possibility of controlling the unexpected movements of the chair.

It is a further object of my invention to provide for a tilting of the entire amusement apparatus at unexpected intervals from points outside of the apparatus so as to produce varying effects by gravity and centrifugal force upon the chairs.

A further object is to provide such a tilting means that there is no possibility of the passengers being injured, particularly with respect to the loading and unloading platform.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the entire apparatus having a portion of the loading platform broken away to show the pivot arrangement of the elevating subframe;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the ap-'- I paratus in elevated position;

Fig. 4 is a detail section through the chair mounting;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the chair and its mounting on the revolving platform.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 is a loading platform upon which the passenger steps prior to entering the chairs2. The chairs 2 are pivotally mounted upon the pivot pins 3, on the revolving amusement frame which comprises a plurality of outwardly extending members 4 from a central platform 5. These members 4 are joined together by web pieces 6. This provides a wheel-like 1929. Serial No. 352,579.

structure of whichthe members 4: are spokes, the member 6 a rim andthe platform 5 a' hub. This-amusement platform has a driving axle 7 driven by a motor 8 from a suitable source of power. The'platform itself has a plurality of wheels 9,which travel on a circulartrack 10 that is mounted upon an annular track supporting frame 11.. The" cross'frame' members 12 are mountedupon the'frame; members 13 constituting a subframe the end of which is connected together by the cross-frame member 14. Atthisend the'pivots 15 mounted on'the frame'16 pro vide the pivotal supports"for' rocking the" frame. supplementary platform member" 17 is mounted on the" cross-frame members 12 to form a bearingsupportfor the bearing 18' in-wh-ich the-axle 7 fits,

This axle has its lower end formed into a bearing 19 which receives the upper-end of the piston rod'QO, thus forming universal joint-between the amusement "apparatus and the piston rod 20; This piston rod'20 is connected to a piston 21' which workswit'hin the pivoted cylinder 22 that is pivot'ally mounted on the support 23within a pit 24. Air is sup; pliedth'rough the port "25 beneath the piston 21w-ithin the cylinder'22.- Such air may-be admitted at intervals and allowed to pass back through the'port 25, thus controlling the rising and falling "o'fth'e entireamusement apparatus.

The 'wheelsu wort-consistin the end" of each spoke rotates under the in swings aboutthe pivots 15'causing. the rising and falling of the s'ubframel13.

Tilrning to the mount ng of tic'ularly as shown inFigS-Hl and'5, it will'be observed that the "pivot studs 3 carry loosely". a swlngi'ng arnr26-to the free endofw-hic'h" he seatsyparf is attached a vertically extending pivot pin"' 27. On this pin is permanentlyattachedfa steering wheel 34 and on the bottom of which is fixed a small sprocket 35. On the sprockets 35 and 28 there is mounted a chain 36.

The operation of the hand wheel 34 results in the movement of the chair about the pivot pins 27. The centrifugal force of the amusement wheel as it rotates on the chair of the periphery will tend to draw the chairs outwardly, but the Weight of the passengers within theseat 2 will vary with respect to the pivot shafts 3 and 27, depending upon the movements of the steering wheel 34. The third force comes into play when the plat form is unexpectedly tilted so that the chair will tend to move under the influence of gravity. Thus I have provided an amusement apparatus in which unexpected movements of the chair Will take place which the ordinary user will seek to control but can not do successfully, because his very efforts to control change the pivotal positions of his chair and thereby set up erratic movements that are influenced by centrifugal force, by the position of his weight and by gravity due to tilting unexpectedly of the entire apparatus.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within the scope of my claims such modifications as may be necessary to adapt my invention to varying conditions of use and to'varying purposes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a revolving platform, means to revolve the platform, a plurality of passenger chairs on the periphery thereof, freely mounted arms on said platform pivotally supporting said chairs, means for freely mounting said chairs on the end of said arms, means controlled by the occupants of said chairsfor moving saidchairs about said last mentidned pivotal support whereby the position of the weight of occupants will be caused to. vary with respect to the first mentioned pivotal support of the chairs.

2. In combination, a subframe, a frame for pivotally supporting said subframe at one end, a cylinder piston and piston rod universally connected to said subframe, a revolving platform mounted on said subframe, means to rotate said platform on the subframe, chairs on said platform on the margin thereof and a loading platform surrounding said revolving platform whereby said subframe, chair and revolving platform may be tilted without danger to'the occupant of the chair being caught between the loading platform and the revolving platform. 7

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

LEVITT LUZERN oUsTER. 

